Containers of cryogenic liquids present special problems of construction and design. Such containers are often formed of multiple vessels, one inside another which inherently provides superior insulating qualities necessary to maintain cryogenic liquids at extremely low temperatures.
Further problems arise when quantities of cryogenic liquids are transported within cryogenic containers via the known modes of travel. Weight limitations commonly placed on land vehicles has prompted the development of aluminum and other likely containers to maximize the payload of cryogenic materials.
In the past, supporting one vessel within another with the minimization of the paths of heat migration through the support structure has been a difficult problem. The use of lightweight materials having a high coefficient of linear expansion requires special considerations because of the bending or "banana" effect associated with the uneven contraction of a relatively large sized vessel of cylindrical configuration. Also, provision must be made for the relatively large thermal contraction of an inner vessel of a lightweight material having a high coefficient of linear expansion and an outer vessel having a relatively low coefficient of linear expansion. Moreover, a similar situation exists where the inner vessel is exposed to a lower temperature than an outer vessel constructed of the same material as the inner vessel. For example, where the inner and outer vessels are constructed of aluminum, an inner vessel contacting liquid nitrogen would contract approximately 4 cm more than an aluminum outer vessel.
Prior cryogenic vessels have focused on the problem of minimizing the inward migration of heat. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,128, issued Jan. 1, 1974 to Hampton et al describes a novel cryogenic storage vessel having both transverse and longitudinal support structures to prevent transverse or radial and longitudinal displacements. No known prior art solves the problems encountered with vessels constructed of lightweight, highly expansive or contractive materials.
The present invention relates to a novel container support apparatus particularly useful in transporting cryogenic materials.